How does an Advocate differ from a Caseworker?
Initial role of an the Investigating caseworker is to conduct civil investigations of children alleged to be abused and neglected as defined by the Texas Family Code. Each sub-care caseworker is to collaborate with the individual or family in developing plans and selecting services that will best facilitate change. The role of an Advocate is to ensure the Court gets the information needed to make decisions with regard to the child/children and his or her physical, medical and educational needs, and to facilitate the implementation of those services.
CPS caseworkers handle 40 to 60 cases on average and a child advocate has no more than three cases at a time. CPS caseworkers do not have the time to conduct as in-depth an investigation as does the Advocate. Because Advocates are volunteers, frequently they are perceived as less adversarial by the families and can elicit more cooperation and information than the state’s caseworkers. This information, along with knowledge of community recourses, allows Advocates to make a recommendation to the court independent of state agency restrictions.
